The South Korean government has budgeted more than 157 times as much for rewards to people who report illegal farmland use next year as it did this year, a move critics call out of touch with conditions in farming communities. Payouts have averaged fewer than seven a year over the past five years, yet next year's budget assumes 2,000 payments. The government has also said it will defer penalties for minor violations found in a nationwide farmland audit, and confusion in the field is expected to continue.
According to data the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs submitted to the office of Rep. Kim Yong-tae of the People Power Party on the 28th, the government has set aside 1.1 billion won for 2027 rewards for reports of illegal farmland ownership, leasing and conversion. The total consists of 1 billion won in rewards plus 100 million won in operating costs. The budget had held steady at 7 million won a year from 2022 through 2026 before jumping roughly 157-fold for next year.
The ministry sharply raised the budget on the assumption that 2,000 rewards will be paid next year. It projected that the nationwide farmland audit would heighten awareness of illegal activity and sharply increase reports. The increase also reflects a revision to the enforcement decree of the Farmland Act last month, which added reports of illegal farmland leasing and rent-free use to the list of activities eligible for rewards and eased the requirements for payment. Previously, rewards...
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